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Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'
Стените около нас by Ангел Ангелов, Нова Рен Сума, Nova Ren Suma
2 reviews
lilythebibliophile's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars
Trigger warnings for the book: Domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and murder
I first picked up this book at the end of 2020, and I was completely enthralled. So, of course, I put it down after the first chapter and waited 2 and a half years to finish it.
I had a feeling that this book could be one of my favorite books of all time, but I wasn't in the headspace to read anything good, you know? I knew that I was going to want to absorb every word on each page, and I just couldn't do that in that moment.
Anyways. The first 25% of the book was just as I remembered it. Every word on the page was intentional and deliberate, the eerie atmosphere of the book was perfectly maintained, and the narration of the characters was enthralling and mysterious.
Sidenote: the audiobook narrators for The Walls Around Us breathe life into the story in a way I have never experienced before. I honestly don't know if the characters are super developed or if the narrators just embodied (em-vocalized?) the characters so well that that they felt more real.
At a certain point during the story, the plot teetered off to the point where nothing was happening. The characters weren't developing, and nothing new was being introduced that could maintain my attention. This is very much a story that is meant to be predictable (for the most part), and yet I am still disappointed at how predictable it was. I won't spoil anything, but basically Nova Ren Suma is telling you the sky is blue the whole time, and the sky is actually blue. Where's the suspense in that?
My main issue with the story is that it is from the perspective of Amber and Violet, and not from the perspective of Amber and Ori. I understand the reasoning behind that stylistic choice, but it made the ending less victorious. Like, I know I'm supposed to feel happy, but I barely knew Ori, so I did not feel much towards her in the end.
Also, there's a little bit of lesbian erasure in the book that I found strange. Amber is describing that girls kiss other girls who look like their old boyfriends from before they were incarcerated, and I'm just like, "Can't the girls just kiss each other because like each other?" Idk.
Overall, Suma is clearly a talented writer, but the nonexistent plot points in The Walls Around Us and the weak character development of the "hero" in the story diminished its greatness.
Trigger warnings for the book: Domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and murder
I first picked up this book at the end of 2020, and I was completely enthralled. So, of course, I put it down after the first chapter and waited 2 and a half years to finish it.
I had a feeling that this book could be one of my favorite books of all time, but I wasn't in the headspace to read anything good, you know? I knew that I was going to want to absorb every word on each page, and I just couldn't do that in that moment.
Anyways. The first 25% of the book was just as I remembered it. Every word on the page was intentional and deliberate, the eerie atmosphere of the book was perfectly maintained, and the narration of the characters was enthralling and mysterious.
Sidenote: the audiobook narrators for The Walls Around Us breathe life into the story in a way I have never experienced before. I honestly don't know if the characters are super developed or if the narrators just embodied (em-vocalized?) the characters so well that that they felt more real.
At a certain point during the story, the plot teetered off to the point where nothing was happening. The characters weren't developing, and nothing new was being introduced that could maintain my attention. This is very much a story that is meant to be predictable (for the most part), and yet I am still disappointed at how predictable it was. I won't spoil anything, but basically Nova Ren Suma is telling you the sky is blue the whole time, and the sky is actually blue. Where's the suspense in that?
My main issue with the story is that it is from the perspective of Amber and Violet, and not from the perspective of Amber and Ori. I understand the reasoning behind that stylistic choice, but it made the ending less victorious. Like, I know I'm supposed to feel happy, but I barely knew Ori, so I did not feel much towards her in the end.
Also, there's a little bit of lesbian erasure in the book that I found strange. Amber is describing that girls kiss other girls who look like their old boyfriends from before they were incarcerated, and I'm just like, "Can't the girls just kiss each other because like each other?" Idk.
Overall, Suma is clearly a talented writer, but the nonexistent plot points in The Walls Around Us and the weak character development of the "hero" in the story diminished its greatness.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Sexual assault
emordnilap's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"But when it came down to it, in the moments that mattered, it was all of us against the corrections officers. Us against the warden. Us against the state. Us against the whole world." -pg. 32
Some of the commentary on the justice/judicial system was really refreshing to see and felt relevant even though this book was written 5+ years ago. I found the ending a little bit confusing, I was pretty sure I had understood what happened, but a quick google search confirmed my thoughts.
The frequent mentions of r@pe and SA was unsettling and felt really unnecessary for the most part which was really annoying to be honest.
Some of the commentary on the justice/judicial system was really refreshing to see and felt relevant even though this book was written 5+ years ago. I found the ending a little bit confusing, I was pretty sure I had understood what happened, but a quick google search confirmed my thoughts.
The frequent mentions of r@pe and SA was unsettling and felt really unnecessary for the most part which was really annoying to be honest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Racism
unnecessary and frequent mentions of rape/SA from both of the MCs.
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